Unborn baby and mother behind bars, denied proper medical care

Nadiya Ali Yusuf is in late third-trimester of pregnancy and detained in Bahrain. She has been on remand for more than two months, since early June. The detainee is facing a worrying health condition and needs appropriate medical care.

According to her family, Nadiya and her husband were stopped at a checkpoint in Bani Jamra village which was under security clampdown at the time. Her husband was arrested before an argument happened between her and a security personal who abused her verbally and confiscated her ID. When Nadiya went to Al-Budaiya police station to ask for her ID, a policewoman handcuffed her and took her to the toilets. She tied her to a chair and assaulted her with the help of two other policewomen. Nadiya was then falsely accused of attacking a security personal. She was transferred to the Public Prosecution and detained for a month, then her sentence was renewed twice.

Family members mentioned that Nadiya is in need for medical care ahead of her delivery. The family learned, during their visit, that Nadiya had fell unconscious several times as a result of her pregnancy complications, and that she was taken to hospital without informing her family.

The Liberties and Human Rights Department (LHRD) in Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society said, â€œThe principle says one is innocent until proven guilty, but Nadiya Ali arrested without conviction through fair trial. This makes her detention a punishmentâ€.

The LHRD demanded the immediate release of Nadiya considering her condition, as she needs appropriate medical care and it is immoral and inhumane to keep her behind bars ahead of delivery.

â€œThe punishment Nadiya is subjected to includes her unborn baby who is also deprived proper medical care, especially given the motherâ€™s poor psychological conditionâ€, the LHRD added.

The Liberties and Human Rights Department made an appeal to the human rights organisations to act for the release of Nadiya Ali from this vengeful inhumane arrest. The LHRD said Nadiyaâ€™s case requires an independent and transparent inquiry, considering that she was verbally abused and humiliated at a checkpoint and then beaten and assaulted at the police station, according to her family.

The Liberties and Human Rights Department in Al-Wefaq condemned the detention and assault of women by the security Authorities. The LHRD said the charges against the detained women do no suit the punishment they are subjected to as retaliation. Officials and Government employees use humiliating and degrading language against a certain category of the society and their belief, however, the law is not applied to them.